Telephone system



TeZ. X"

(No Model.)

1 2 SheetsSheet 1.

O. 0. JENNINGS. TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Patented Dec. 20, 189.2.

. N v x 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. 0. JENNINGS. TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Patented Dec. 20, 1892.

(No Model.)

CHARLES C. JENNINGS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES II. THOMPSON AND GEORGE A. SHELEY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,502, dated December 20, 1892.

Application filed October 23, 1888. Serial No. 288,917. (No model.)

T at whom i may nwW frequent communication with a fixed station, Be it known that I, CHARLES C. JENNINGS, bya person or persons moving along the line a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook between stations, but for clearness of illusand State of Illinois, have invented certain tration, is hereinafter shown and described in 5 new and useful Improvements in Telephone connection with a rail-road, and the line wires Systems, of which the following is a specificaforming the circuits shown as constituting a tion. portion of the usual and necessary rail-road This invention relates to improvements in fence inclosing the rightof-way of the road. telephone systems heretofore operated on a The general plan of operation of this system 1o ground circuit from a single line wire permais to have each station connected by a double nently grounded at each end through fixed grounded circuit with the stations on each telephones located at the ends thereof, each side of it, but only one of which circuits is of which instruments is necessarily equipped closed through the station, the telephoning 'with the usual battery and magneto signal along the line between the various stations 15 bells. In such prior systems also, the line being always donein the same direction, thus wire has been strung on poles having no other any operator from any point between stations function than that of supports for the wire 1, and 2, must telephone into station 1, or say in the manner usual in the stringing of telewestward, while any operator between staphone and electric wires. tions 2, and 3, must telephone into station 2, 7o 20 The object of this invention is to have a also westward, and between 3, and 4, back to number of successive stations connected by station 3, likewise westward, and so on, or broken circuits between each of the stations vice-versa, it being immaterial as the direcclosed through one station only, and includtion in which the telephoning is done, so long ing a telephone there-at, each of which ciras all talk in the same direction, that is, all 25 cuits is adapted to be closed at any point beeast, west, north or south or in any other ditween the stations, by a portable telephone rection from any point of the line, according unaccompanied bya battery, and all of which to the direction which preference or convencircuits are adapted to be closed through the ience may dictate. Hence between every two intermediate stations, and the telephones stations there is an independent talking or o thereat cut out, thus constituting a single telephone circuit, which however, is open or brokencircuitbetween theendstations,closed broken at one of the stations, but may be through only one of said stations. I attain closed at any point between the stations, all this object by the devices illustrated in the the talking between these stations being necaccompanying drawings in which, essarily into the one through which the cir- 8 3 5 Figure 1, isadiagram view representing two cuit is closed; the other station, however, at stations connected by a telephone system emwhich the circuit is broken, being talked into bodying my invention. Fig. 2, a face View of from the other side thereof, from any point the portable telephone showing the front between it and the next station on that side, plate thereof removed for the purpose of exover a circuit closed through the station, but 4o posingthe interior construction thereof. Fig. broken through the next station, which is in 3, a central vertical section thereof. Fig. 4, turn connected with another beyond that, in a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 5, a detail thesame manner. But this systemalsocontem View showing the manner of bringing the line plates the connection of any number of these wires close to the earth when strung upon independent sections into a single section en- 5 poles. Fig. 6, an enlarged view more clearly compassing and passing uninterruptedly showing the construction and relative arthrough all of the intermediate stations, and. rangement of the parts at one station. connecting the two end or all night sta- A telephone system such as herein shown tions by a double grounded circuit in the and described is equally well adapted for use same manner as in the case of the independent :00 50 on rail-road lines stock ranches, mines, and sections into either one of which all night similar places where it is desirable to have stations the talking may be done from any intermediate point, according to the direction in which the circuit is closed.

In carrying out my invention,Iemploy two line wires A, B, the former of which I will designate the telephone orsecondary wire, and the latter the battery or primary wire, each of which extends from one station to another, for instance, from station 0, to station D, at each of which each wire is connected with switch-boards E, and F, of any ordinary construction, with which switch-boards are also connected in the usual manner, line telephone and battery wires, A, and B, connecting station 0, with the next station to the left, and similar wires A, and B, connecting the station D, with the next station to the right. With each of these switch-boards are also connected ordinary telephones G, H, by means of which the operator at the station is enabled to converse with the operator along the line between the stations, the saidswitch-board also having connection for the ground wires from each telephone, for both the primary and secondary circuits, as usual in this class of devices; in addition to which, there is also connected with the switch-boards, batteries I, J, designed to charge the battery line wires B, and 13 after the manner and for the purpose hereinafter described, in the circuits of which are also included electro-magnetic signal bells K, L, which serve as a signal from the operator along the line between the stations, as described further on.

M, is a portable telephone, minus, or rather unaccompanied. by a battery, constructed in any suitable manner, and having the usual induction coil N, platinum point, 0, carbon button P, and receiver, Q, inclosed in a suitable casing and provided with the usual electric connections for the primary and secondary current, so that the instrument is adapted to both receive and transmit speech or signals, the casing being mounted upon a base board R, provided at the top and bottom thereof with opposing metallic hooks S S electrically connected with the receiving and transmitting devices, which hooks are designed to engage the line telephone and battery, or primary and secondary wires A, B, respectively, thus closing the double circuit formed by these wires, through the portable telephone and thereby placing the operator in communication with either one of the stations 0, or D, at which the circuit is closed through the telephone at that point.

In detail, the primary and secondary circuits through the portable telephone may be traced as follows,beginning with the primary current from the battery I, following along the battery wire B leading therefrom, which constitutes the primary side of a metallic circuit, to the lower hooks S, thence through a short wire S to one end of the primary wire of the induction coil N, the opposite end of which primary wire is connected by a wire N with the platinum point 0, while the opposing carbon button P is connected by a wire P with the metallic plate P with which also connects the ground wire a for grounding the circuit after passing through and operating the transmitter, (that is, the platinum point and carbon button) in the usual manner. The secondary circuits, beginning with the induction coil, is grounded through the wire Q, with which connects one end of the secondary wire of said coil, and also the wire Q leading to the receiver, through which the current passes, as usual, and thence out to the ground through a return wire Q plate P and ground wire a. The opposite end of the secondary wire of the induction coil connects, by a wire N with the upper metallic hook S, and thence out over the line telephone wire A, to the telephone G, the talking or secondary circuit through which will now be described.

Bearing in mind that each independent circuit or section is always broken at one station, and closed at the other, in order that the talking from any point between stations must be done to the one through which the circuit is closed, I will now trace out the electric circuit between the stations 0, D, assuming that the circuit is closed at the station O,and open at D; that is to say, the telephone and battery wires A, B, are dead at the switchboard F, and the circuit between them must be completed at some point between the stations.

Beginning with the telephone wire A, we find that on the switch-board E, it is plugged in at a, to connect with the telephone loop wire 1), leading to the secondary wire of the induction coil in the telephone G, and thence to the receiver G thereof after passing through which latter in the usual manner,the current comes out through the wire 0, and is plugged in at d, to the ground 6, while the circuit, as a whole, being technically known as a talking circuit or a secondary circuit between the portable telephone M and the fixed telephone G at the station,

It will of course be understood that the telephone G is of ordinary structure, not necessary to be either illustrated or described in detail herein, comprising the battery for operating the transmitter on a short primary circuit, which passes through the usual induction coil from which is derived the secondary current for operating the receiver in the usual manner, after passing through which it is grounded, as just described. The wire f is primarily employed as a safety wire for conducting oft atmospheric electricity, as usual in this class of telephones. The battery circuit extends through the battery wire B, to the switch-board E, where it is plugged in at g, to the battery loop wire it, leading to the battery I, from which in turn extends a wire a), leading to a switch or shunt j, adapted to be alternately connected with the ground wire 6, either by a direct wire 7a, or through the signal bell K, and wire Z; the switch j, being also connected with the switch-board E, by

ITO

means of wire in, which latter, however, is dead at the said switch-board, except when it is desired to cut outthe telephone G, and connect this station direct with the station to which the wires A, and B, lead. Thus it will be seen that both the telephone and battery circuits are grounded at one end only, and that all that is necessary is to close the circuit between thesetwo wires to make a complete talking circuit which is done by hooking on the portable telephone, as hereinbefore described, but for greater effectiveness and security, I also provide the portable telephone with a ground connection through the Wire 72, by means of which the ground circuit through the transmitter and battery is perfected in the usual manner, although the grounding of both the telephone and battery wires at the station through which the circuit is closed, will be sufficient for all practical purposes. It will also be observed that the signaling to-the operator at the station is antomatic and accomplished merely by the hanging of the portable instrument upon the telephone and battery wires, for with the shunt or switch j, in the position shown in the drawings, when the circuit is completed on the line by the instrument, the current passes through the signal bell K, and causes it to ring continually until the attention of the operator at the station is attracted, and the shunt switched off to the direct ground wire 70, when the bell stops ringing, after which the operator communicates with the operator on the line. The switch or shunt j, is also employed to render the circuit continuous through a station by being turned midway between and out of contact with both the bell and ground wire it, but plugged into the line battery wire B, leading to the next station to the left, as shown by the dotted line at 0, the bell and ground wire being now dead, while the circuit continues out through the switch-board and onto the line battery wire. Thus any number of intermediate stations may be cut out, and at the same time two distant all night stations connected so that an operator from any point along the line may talk into one of them and be sure of receiving the desired in formation, for it will be understood that on rail-road lines certain stations at large towns and cities are kept open or have operators present all night,while smaller intermediate stations are closed at night and have no operator, hence the desirability of having a continuous circuit through such closed stations.

Another important feature of this invention is that the necessity for having the line wires frequently if not continuously near the earth, for convenience of attachment thereto of the portable telephone, enables the employment of the line wires as a substantial portion of the rail-road fence, necessary to inclose the right-of-way of the road, preferably forming the two upper wires of such a fence, which may as a whole, be composed of three or five wires, according to choice or necessity, all but the two upper line wires of which are preferably barbed wire such as is ordinarily used for such purposes, although, if desired, all of the wires might be of barbed wire. It will also be understood that each of the line wires, whether barbed or not, are insulated from the supporting posts, which are also preferably metallic, and of any suitable construction, in any well known and convenient manner, such afence combining strength and utility, besides being economical in construction by reason of the line wires constituting a material part thereof. But so far as relates to the broad idea of my invention, it is not necessary that the line wires should constitute a part of the rail-road or any other fence, for the same end would be attained by conducting the wires underground through a suitable conduit and bringing them to or above the surface of the ground at short intervals, or by stringing them along on poles in the usual manner, and hanging them down at suitable intervals to within easy reach of the operator as shown in Fig. 5, where they are strung across a board 19, between posts q, 'r, for convenience of attachment of the portable telephone in the same manner as if the wires were strung along on, and formed part of the fence as heretofore described. This latter method of stringing the line wires will be found of especial utility in swampy countries where the fence is not feasible or practicable, and in many other similar places such as long trestles, and marsh ground, or such a section may form only a portion of the entire line between two or more points.

The most important advantage derived from such a system of telephoning as herein described, is that the operator along the line is relieved of the necessity of carrying the usual complete and heavy telephone, comprising a receiver, transmitter, magneto signal bells and a battery, the safe carriage of which latter is extremely difficult and irksome, and need only carry a light, compact and portable instrument comprising only a receiver and transmitter, which may almost be carried in an ordinary coat pocket; beside which, the mere hanging of the instrument upon the wires closes the circuit, and automatically rings a signal bell until the attention of the station operator is attracted. Such an ad vantage is of incalculable value, in the case of workmen engaged along the line, or in case of an accident between stations, enabling immediate and rapid communication between such point and a station, without the necessity for the service or presence of a skilled operator, as in the case of telegraphing, and at best is far quicker, and more convenient, even in the hands of a mere novice.

In conclusion I may state that should it be found desirable to communicate with the nearest station, although the circuit is broken thereat, it is only necessary for the operator at the other station to communicate by the permanent telephone ortelegraph connections between such points, with the operator at the desired station, and then shift the plugs in his switch-board so as to cut off or deaden the line wires at his station, while at the same time the operator at the other station plugs in the line wires, when the communication will be received intothe desired station direct; but the simplest and most practicable manner of enabling communication in either direction from a given point would be to have two complete circuits one on each side of the road, (especially if they constitute a part of the rail-wayfence,) workingin opposite directions correspondingly with the directions in which the trains run, if on a double trackway, thus avoiding confusion and delay, and enabling workmen to talk into the nearest station from any point along the way.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a telephone system the combination with a series of stations connected with each other by a series of broken double circuits, each of which is closed through one of the two stations connected thereby, a battery and fixed telephone at each of said stations, and

electro-magnetic bells included in the telephone loop circuit, of a portable telephone unaccompanied by a battery, adapted and arranged to close any one of said broken circuits at any point intermediate said stations, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a telephone system, the combination with a series of stations, each of which is connected by a broken double circuit, with the stations on each side thereof, said circuits being closed through one of the stations only, with which it is connected, and having a telephone in the circuit at such station, of batteries, located at each of said stations, the loop circuit of each of which is adapted to be placed in circuit with the broken double circuit terminating at said station, whereby all the intermediate stations may be connected into a single broken circuit between the two stations, and a portable telephone unaccoinpanied by a battery, adapted and arranged to close said circuit, at any point between said end station, substantially as described.

CHARLES 0. JENNINGS. Witnesses:

W. R. OMOHUNDRO, A. M. BENNETT. 

